Trial of third man for murder gets under way

Published: March 7, 2000 12:00AM

The trial of Vincent Price, accused in the Oct. 10, 1999, murder of West Salem resident Terry Butdorf, got under way Monday with Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor John Williams telling the jury that he would focus on Price's argument that "The Devil made me do it."

"That's the bottom line. That is what this case is about," Williams told the jury of eight women and four men, adding that the name of the devil in the case was Ralph Blackwell, assisted by Octavius Patrick.

Blackwell and Patrick pleaded guilty in the case. Blackwell was sentenced on Feb. 16 to 28 years to life in prison, and Patrick was sentenced Feb. 9 to 18 years to life. Patrick's plea bargain carried the stipulation that he testify against Price.

In the Wayne County Common Pleas Courtroom of Judge Robert J. Brown, Williams walked jurors through a series of events that, he said, led to Butdorf's slaying. He said the chronology began a couple of weeks before the murder when Price became enraged at home over a female acquaintence's failure to repay money that she owed him. Williams said Price, who with his girlfriend had recently had a baby, was financially strapped and "wanted payback in any sort of way."

The prosecutor said that Price had a friend, Butdorf, who he knew had money and drugs. Williams said Price felt Butdorf could be robbed because it was unlikely he would report a drug theft. Price, who had for some time routinely purchased crack cocaine from Patrick, got Patrick to introduce him to his step-brother Blackwell, known to be adept at committing robberies. In a meeting in the kitchen of Price's residence in early October, Williams said, Blackwell and Price discussed the layout of Butdorf's house, where the money and drugs were located, and where he kept a gun.

Williams then told the jury the prosecution's version of the events surrounding the murder:

On the night of Oct. 10, the trio -- with Price driving -- set out for Butdorf's residence in a borrowed car after dropping by Patrick's residence on Silver Road to pick up his 9mm handgun, ski masks, an extra pair of shoes and plastic bags to wrap around the pistol to catch any shell casings that might eject from the gun.

Arriving in the vicinity of Butdorf's house, Price parked the car in a lane leading to an oil well, then all three headed for the residence. Partway there, however, Price returned to the vehicle, leaving the robbery to Blackwell and Patrick.

When the door to the Butdorf residence was answered by Angie Houghton, Butdorf's live-in girlfriend, the masked and armed duo broke in with Blackwell, now in possession of Patrick's gun, firing a round. Butdorf, who had been asleep on a sofa, was then struck in the abdomen by Patrick with a hammerlike device.

Butdorf then took Blackwell -- who had an arm around Houghton so that she could not escape -- and Patrick to the locked room where he kept the money and marijuana and told them to take what they wanted. The robbers, however, had been told by Price that Butdorf kept a gun in the room and made Butdorf kneel in the middle of a bed to keep him from going for the gun, which they were initially unable to find.

At one point, however, Patrick noticed Butdorf leaning in the direction of where the gun was found to be and felt he might have been making a move toward it. Patrick grabbed the weapon and discharged two rounds through a wall of the house.

During his lengthy testimony, Patrick said that Blackwell "got an attitude" about Butdorf's supposed move for the gun, and walked over to him and struck him across the face with the butt of the pistol he carried.

Williams said that when the firearm struck Butdorf's head, it discharged, hitting the victim.

Chief Deputy Stark County Coroner P.S.S. Murthy, who performed the autopsy on Butdorf, testified the bullet hit the front left shoulder just below the collarbone, passing throught the left lung, pericardial sac around the heart, left heart ventricle, diaphragm, stomach, pancreas, left kidney and lodged just under the skin of the lower back. He said Butdorf probably died within a few minutes of massive bleeding into the chest cavity."

Patrick testified the two did not tell Price about shooting Butdorf or that they had taken cash and a weapon from the residence. Patrick said they only told Price they had stolen some "weed." Patrick said he did not know until the following day when he read a newspaper account that Butdorf had been killed by Blackwell's shot.

Patrick said he then took the newspaper to Price's house and showed him the article about Butdorf's murder, "He looked stunned," said Patrick. "He said it wasn't supposed to go down that way."

Patrick, who avoided making any eye contact with a visibly distraught Price throughout the three-hour proceeding, said he gave Price $100 cash and $200 worth of crack cocaine the day after the murder as a sort of payment for his help in the theft.

On cross examination, defense attorney Bing Miller highlighted various times that Patrick had lied to law enforcement officers during proceedings surrounding the case. Miller also focused on the fact that Price had not asked for anything that was taken during the robbery or payment of any kind.

The proceedings in the trial continue today with the state expected to call four witnesses, including Angie Houghton. It is expected that closing arguments will be given Wednesday.